Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Tokunbo Abiru, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions in the 10th Senate, who is also the Senator representing Lagos East, is a man of extraordinary passion for the development of people. With an innate drive for excellence in all his pursuits, Senator Abiru has consistently aimed for nothing short of the best.
Before assuming his current role as the distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Tokunbo Abiru carved out a stellar career in banking, ultimately ascending to the pinnacle of his profession as the Managing Director of Polaris Bank. His legacy in the banking sector was consolidated before his retirement in 2020.
Within just about four years in the saddle, Senator Abiru revolutionized the governance narrative in the Lagos East Senatorial District. His leadership marked a significant departure, as it was characterised by a purposeful dedication to the welfare of the people, through championing of impactful programmes, interventions and constituency services.
Dubbed the “DoingGood Senator,” Senator Abiru centred his efforts on three key pillars: legislative responsibilities, empowerment initiatives, and endowment projects.
He executed these pillars with exceptional results, earning the trust and admiration of his constituents and Nigerians at large
Immediately following his inauguration as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on December 15, 2020, Abiru conducted an extensive needs assessment initiative. This comprehensive approach, rooted in human-centred design principles, ensured that the voices and needs of the grassroots populace were integral to decision-making processes.
The insights gleaned from this assessment formed the bedrock of his interventions across the 98 wards spanning 16 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of the Lagos East Senatorial district.
On the legislative pillar, Senator Abiru has championed numerous legislative initiatives, with notable bills including the Copyright Bill, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari and the Franchise Regulation Bill, CBN Act Amendment Bill(Passed Second Reading), NDIC Act Amendment Bill (Passed second reading), several motions on the plights of his constituents and made valuable contributions during plenary.
These legislative endeavours are poised to unlock greater economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly within the creative, entertainment, and business sectors.
In response to the devastating socio economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Abiru launched a targeted financial assistance scheme. This initiative provided direct relief to vulnerable segments of the Lagos East community, including widows, the elderly, unemployed youth, persons with disabilities, and women, with over 2500 beneficiaries receiving monthly credit transfers for over 23 months.
In continuation of support for vulnerable constituents, the Senator launched a quarterly food packs programme for the same categories of vulnerable people. Over 25,000 households have benefited from the scheme across the Lagos East Senatorial District.
